The invention relates to an injection device for injecting a selectable dose of a liquid substance from an ampoule located in an ampoule holder, comprising a sleeve-shaped mechanism holder mechanically coupled thereto, in the interior of the mechanism holder a longitudinally shiftable shaft with a piston disposed thereon being provided which acts on the ampoule, wherein the shaft being surrounded by an also longitudinally shiftable advancing sleeve, mechanically coupled thereto, which in its upper end area is closed by a lid.
Such an injection device is known from EP 0 373 321 B 1 that consists of an ampoule sleeve for receiving the ampoule and a delivering mechanism. In turn, this is composed of a cylindrical piston shaft with an inner hollow cylinder and an outer hollow cylinder which is formed in one piece with this and which exhibits a guiding cam on its outer shell. A dosing ring is fixed radially to the outer hollow cylinder. The dosing can be read off by means of a scaling fastened to the outer perimeter of the dosing ring through a sight glass set into the housing of the mechanism holder. The delivering mechanism is disposed longitudinally movably in the mechanism holder by means of a retaining spring and secured by a lid screwable into the housing of the mechanism holder. The dosing ring rests against the lid with the force of the retaining spring. The housing of the mechanism holder is provided on its inside with elongated slots of different length in which the corresponding guiding cam of the delivering mechanism is able to glide. As a result, the lift of the delivering mechanism is determined by the length of the elongated slot cooperating with the guiding cam. The adaptation of the dose to be administered to the needs of a patient takes place exclusively by an authorized person, e. g. a physician. A special-purpose wrench is necessary, by means of which an interlocking ring of the device can be unlocked until the guiding cam of the delivering mechanism is released from the respective elongated slot. The physician is then able to select the desired dose by rotation of the released delivering mechanism and renewed catch of the guiding cam into a corresponding elongated slot.
Once selected, the dose cannot be varied without considerable effort. In addition, based on the construction of the delivering mechanism, the injection device can only be used for delivering a single dose although possibly a sufficient supply of medicine is still available in the ampoule. In order to administer another dose of medicine, the ampoule sleeve must be unlocked from the mechanism holder and disposed of together with the ampoule possibly still containing medicine.
An injection device of generic type is known from EP 0 037 696 B 1 with which a dose of a liquid substance to be administered can be taken from an ampoule via a transmission mechanism of tractive force acting in one direction upon operating a locking cap. The transmission mechanism of tractive force consists in that one pushing part is equipped with a plurality of teeth and the other pushing part with a pawl, which intermesh and therefore effect the advance of the transmission mechanism of tractive force only in one direction of ejection of the dose to be administered. The maximum lift height and therefore the maximum dose to be administered is limited via a notch and a stop. The operator of the injection device is also able to select less than the maximum dose by listening to the number of clicks which occur when, during the advance, the teeth of the pushing part catch in the pawl. In this connection, one click corresponds to the minimum dose. The operating element, the locking cap, is pushed back up to a stop by means of a spring.
This injection device is designed for extremely careful operation since a click can easily be overheard and different doses to be administered not be securely adjusted. In addition, no display unit is foreseen for the dose to be selected.
The present invention is therefore based on the problem to identify an injection device of the type described above which is simple in the constructive design and simple in the handling and with which the operator himself by simple movements is safely able to select the dose to be administered.
This problem is thereby solved in that a dosing sleeve with a stepped member is provided for selecting a dose of a liquid substance to be injected, which is disposed on the mechanism holder in its upper end area, wherein the dose to be respectively administered being adjustable by a rotation of the dosing sleeve with the stepped member.
In this case, the dosing sleeve is composed of an operating element with a profile, an adjoining cylinder with dose imprint, a catch stop, and the stepped member adjoining this. The constructive coupling of the dosing sleeve to the injection device is thereby characterized in that together with the stepped member and the cylinder with the dose imprint it surrounds the advancing sleeve.
The injection device according to the invention has the fundamental advantage that a dose, adjusted once, can be applied repeatedly; the user just has to load the injection device before each injection. The selection of the dose to be applied is quite easy due to a simple rotation of the dosing sleeve.
Further advantageous embodiments of the invention can be taken from the dependent claims.